I'll cut right to the chase on this one: There is a line in The Big Lebowski that has haunted me since one of my first viewings. After The Dude has encountered the "real" Lebowski, he's given a beeper so that he can resolve the Bunny kidnapping with the rug-pee-ers, if the need should arise. Sitting in the bowling alley and chatting with Walter about this development, he has this exchange:

On the page, it might look something like this:

Dude: They gave dude a beeper, yeah? So whenever these guys call...
Walter: What if it's during a game?
Dude: Oh, I told them, if it was during league play...
Donny: What's during league play?
Walter: Life does not stop and start at your convenience you miserable piece of shit.

It's that last line that is the source of this mystery. Most people will watch this scene or read the above dialogue and instantly conclude that, of course, Walter is talking to Donny. Donny has been known to interrupt conversations constantly, which is a source of constant rage for Walter. Walter's usual rejoinder to Donny is "You're out of your element," or "Shut the fuck up, Donny." I could, of course, easily argue that he's NOT talking to Donny, that he is in fact referring to the other Lebowski and his associates.

I have a few thoughts on this, but before I weigh in, please listen to the entire scene, including these lines in context, by downloading it (right click and save as).

The question that emerges, for me at least, is whether or not Walter is in fact directing the line towards Donny or towards the rich(er) Lebowski, whose insensitivity to league play might draw Walter's ire. Here are arguments for both sides:

Arguments in favor of "Walter is directing the line towards Donny":

Donny did, in fact, interrupt their conversation

Walter has been known to get pissed off when Donny interrupts

Walter says the line almost immediately after Donny interrupts

Based on the actual content of the line, Walter could easily be referring to the fact that Donny is interrupting their conversation

Arguments in favor of "Walter is directing the line towards the rich(er) Lebowski and Co.":

During the beginning parts of the exchange, Walter appears to be lost in thought, gazing off into space. His "Shut the fuck up, Donny" towards the beginning of the conversation is one of his most sedate ones yet.

Walter typically uses "Shut the fuck up, Donny," and "you're out of your element" to chasten Donny. This is the first, and perhaps only, instance in which he uses another phrase for this purpose.

"Shut the fuck up Donny" and "you're out of your element" are almost second-nature to Walter at this point. They are, in some ways, affectionate expressions. The idea that Walter would call Donny a "miserable piece of shit" seems out of character.

Conversely, Walter reserves much of his rage during this exchange for the upper class of society and, in particular, Bunny Lebowski. His anger seems more directed towards them, and thus, this line could easily be aimed at taking them down a notch.

Walter strongly values league play and disdains the people who gave The Dude the beeper. Hence, "life does not start and stop at your convenience" is a stern warning that anyone who messes with league play is messing with Walter.

So, what do you guys think about this extremely important distinction? Either way, I don't think it's nearly as cut-and-dried as people think.

Posted by
David Chen

Saturday, February 27, 201011:10 AM

10
comments :: Life Does Not Start and Stop at Your Convenience: The Greatest Mystery of The Big Lebowski

Dave, I have always heard that the line was spoken by John Goodman after he thought the director yelled cut.

It seems obvious to me that Walter is not speaking to Donny. In asking what happens if the beeper goes off during bowling, he’s expressing concern that The Dude will have to run off to respond to the page and thereby interrupt the game. He doesn’t like the fact that bowling (which for Walter is pretty much his Life) could be ruined by a rich and powerful man 'summoning’ The Dude at times of his choosing. So he vocalises his concern, by cursing his new enemy: The Big Lebowski.

While Mouse's answer is hilarious, I'm inclined to agree with Anonymous on this one. Just the thought of someone interrupting league play is almost too much for Walter to bear. I especially like your point, Dave, about Walter referring to Donny as a "miserable piece of shit" seems out of character. He really does only bounce back and forth between his two other catchphrases for most of the film, so that seems an unnecessarily harsh thing to say to Donny, who in this scene isn't even at his most annoying.

I never thought about this before, I guess I just assumed he was speaking of Donny, I'm not sure. Thinking about it now, I'd have to go with speaking about Lebowski because Walter would under no circumstances be happy with someone interrupting league play. Nice breakdown, Dave.

1) Donny reacts to Walter's takedown.2) Walter's first statement to Donny was indeed relatively passive, which is why he goes harder with this rejoinder.3) The use of "your" - he's say "their" if he was talking about the folks who supplied the beeper.

Additionally, it contains an exclusive interview with Ethan Coen about one of the most controversial elements of the movie: to whom Walter was speaking when he said "Life does not stop and start at your convenience, you miserable piece of shit." Allegedly, John Goodman directed this line at Joel Coen when the actor thought he heard Coen yell "cut."

I too think that the line is a response to the an outside force infringing on league play. The Coen's are famous for effing with "analysis" of their movies, so I think the story that it was a response to "cut" could be BS. But if true, it would be perfectly natural for the Coen's to leave it in, because it works.

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